Container and spool for leader lines and the like



if. L. SHARP Dec. 29, 1953 CONTAINER AND SPOOL FOR LEADER LINES AND THELIKE Filed July 24, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 MG. 1.?- EWING L. 55549;)

INVENTOR.

E. L. SHARP Dec. 29, 1953 CONTAINER AND SPOOL FOR LEADER LINES AND THELIKE Filed July 24, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jim I,

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I'll-Ill- Ea n/6L. SHARP INVENTOR.

firrae/vey Patented Dec. 29, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTAINERAND SPOOL FOR LEADER LINES AND THE LIKE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to fish lines or leaders and has particularreference to means for winding and supporting such lines and leaders.

It is the general object of the invention to provide simple andinexpensive devices of the type referred to which are convenient tooperate to wind and unwind fish lines on reels and which will securelymaintain the lines in position thereon after completion of the windingoperation. A further object is to provide a reel supporting container 7which is fitted with a detachably mounted cut-off element. Anotherobject is to provide a container which is so constructed that the reelwithin the container may be manually rotated therein as may be requiredfor maintaining the line on the reel tightly wound thereon. A stillfurther object is to provide a device so constructed that an assembly ofreels may be wound one by one without cutting the line between eachwinding operation, whereupon each reel may be placed within a casingwhile the reels still remain tied together by the unbroken line.

These and further objects of the invention, together with the manyadvantageous features thereof, are hereinafter fully described and willbe better understood when reference is had to the accompanying drawingsin which preferred types of the invention are illustrated.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a device embodying the inventionand with a portion of the casing thereof broken away in order better toillustrate the interior mechanism thereof;

Fig. 2 is a substantially corresponding edge view of the device taken inthe direction of the arrow of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows the reel of the device as it appears when removed from thecontainer casing;

Fig. 4 is an edge View showing the various parts of the device as theyappear before assembling and with parts thereof broken away for the sakeof clearness;

Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views of parts of the device, the importance ofwhich will be hereinafter fully explained;

Fig. 7 shows the manner in which reels are mounted on a mandrel for thewinding operation;

Fig. 8 illustrates a somewhat modified form of a reel supportingcontainer;

Fig. 9 shows the container as it appears when the reel has been removedtherefrom;

Fig. 10 is an edge view of the container and the reel as they appearbefore the reel is inserted therein;

Fig. 11 illustrates a member which is attach- 2 able to the containercase to serve as a cut-off element for the line supported on the reel ofthe device; and

Figs. 12 to 15 show further modifications, the importance whereof ishereinafter fully explained.

The container assembly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a casingconsisting of two parts designated at 2 and 3 respectively, each parttaking the form of a circular box-shaped member, one of which is fittedwith a cylindrical extension 4 from the flange 3 thereof of a sizetightly to seat within the inner surface 5 of the flange of the othermember. The space within the two members, when assembled, is of a sizerotatable to receive therein a reel 6 of the shape best indicated inFig. 4 of the drawings. The two members are at one point along theperipheral surfaces of the container made with identical U- shapedgrooved guides 8, 9 projecting therefrom to form a rectangular seat toreceive therein a plate I0 when the two members are pushed together, asbest shown in Fig. 2, the plate within its seat serving to lock themembers against relative rotation. A lip ll rises from a perforation ofthis plate to form a catch below which the end of the line B extendingfrom the enclosed reel through a perforation I2 of the casing may bedrawn, firmly to clamp the end of the line in position on the container.When the side edges of this lip are sharpened it is found that theprojecting portion of the line may be manually drawn over this sharpenededge to sever the end of the line from the body portion thereof on thereel.

In one side of the grooved flange of each reel is provided a radiallydirected slit 7 into which the free end of the line or leader to bewound is drawn tightly to maintain it in position therein. The line maythen be wound on the reel whereupon the reel is placed within thecontainer. In doing this, the outer free end of the line is drawnthrough an opening l2, which is formed by recessing the abutting edgesof the casing flanges, substantially as indicated in Fig. 2, as thecasing members are pushed together with the plate It seated within theguides 8, 9. The portion of the line beyond the container casing maythen be drawn under the lip II and out off along the edge thereof. Whenthe container casing is made from transparent material, such as aplastic composition, it is possible at all times to keep a check on theamount of line remaining therein. This is a distinct advantage.

As shown in the drawings, the two members of the container casing areperforated to provide large axially aligned openings 2 3 into which thefingers of the operator may be inserted to rotate the reel within thecontainer and thereby to take up the slack which is likely to occur whena portion of the line is quickly withdrawn through the opening [2 of thecontainer. The reel 5 is in Fig. 1 shown centrally perforated to providean opening of a size suitably for mounting the reel on a mandrel for thepurpose of winding the line in position thereon, in the manner whichwill now be described. 7

As above explained, the fish line or leader is first wound on the reelwhereupon the reel is placed within the container casing and the userwill withdraw the portion which is required to form the leader of theline. In modern manufacturing practice it is found more economical andadvantageous to mount a number of reels on a mandrel and to continuewinding the line thereon until all the reels are filled, without cuttingthe line until the operation is completed. Each reel will, according tothis method, contain a certain predetermined number of feet of line andthe assembly of reels is delivered to the distributor without breakingthe line; each reel being enclosed in its own container. If then thepurchaser requires the number of feet of line contained in one reel, itis merely required to cut the line between this container and the nextfollowing container for delivery to the purchaser; but should thepurchaser require two or more times the number of feet of line thecorresponding number of containers are withdrawn from the assembly andthe line only cut at this point.

The method employed in winding the reels and mounting the assembledreels in their casings will now be described, reference being invited toFig. 7 of the drawings. A mandrel I5 is mounted in the chuck A of aconventional wire or line winding machine. The reels of the assemblyare, in order to facilitate this description, shown spaced apart on themandrel but it is to be understood. that, in actual practice, they aresuitably held close together, as by means of a spring l3 which is heldin position by a nut l4 mounted on the end of the mandrel. It is to beunderstood also that the mandrel will be completely filled with reels.It is also necessary to remember that the reels must be held againstrotation on the mandrel. The pressure of the spring may be sufficientfor this purpose, but I have found it advantageous to provide means forpositively looking the reels in position. Illustrative of such means,the mandrel is shown hexagonal in crosssection and the opening in thereel is correspondingly shaped, as indicated at I! in Fig. 3.

To begin the winding operation, the end of the line to be wound is drawninto the slit 1 of the innermost reel and the mandrel rotated to windthe line on this reel. It was above stated that one side of the groovedflange of the reel is slitted but, while this ordinarily is sufficient,the winding operation may be greatly facilitated by extending the slitthrough the other side of the flange. When the reels are placed on themandrel with the slits thereof in continued axial alignment, it is foundthat the line from the completely wound innermost reel can be drawnthrough the adjoining slits of this and the next following reel, whichthereupon is wound in like manner. This operation is continued until theentire reel assembly is wound and the reels may then be removed from themandrel to make room for another assembly. When handled with some careby an experienced person the reels of the assembly may now be placedwithin the containers without danger of the lines becoming dislodgedfrom the slits of the reels. In order to perform this operation, it ismerely required to grip two adjacent reels at one end of the assemblyand to pull down on the outer reel until the line between the two reelsslips out of the slit in the end reel. The latter may then be rotated tounwind the line until the slit again is reached and the line drawnthereinto. It is now possible to swing the end reel away from theadjoining reel so as to provide room for convenient insertion of theouter reel in its casing.

\ When a plurality of slits are provided, such as indicated at 1*, l inFig. 3, only a very small portion of the line needs to be unwound fromthe reel. This operation is repeated until all the reels have beenencased, whereupon the container assembly may be packed for shipment.

Such additional operation of partly unwinding each reel may be dispensedwith by placing collars between the reels on the mandrel of Fig. 7 tomaintain the reels spaced apart on the mandrel the short distancerequired to make it possible to insert the reels within the casings.Such collars are indicated in dotted outline at l8 in the drawing. Whilethe addition of such collars necessarily will increase the length of themandrel, the advantage of this combination is so considerable thatincreasing the length of mandrel to be used would be of no consequence.

The container above described, while entirely satisfactory, may in somecases be found rather expensive to make and a simpler structure may berequired. Such container is in Figs. 8 to 11 shown to consist of asingle box-shaped casing 2 I, having the flange 22 laterally extendingthere from of a diameter to receive therein and rotably to support thereel. The edge of the flange is shown inwardly curved to form a ridge 23which, when the reel is placed within the flange, maintains it rotatablyin position within the casing. The flange is, in order to permit ofsufficient expansion to make it possible to force the reel over theridge 23, shown made with a plurality of axially directed slots 24. Whenthe container casing is made from suitable, somewhat resilient material.there is no difficulty in forcing the reel into position and it will beheld firmly in place without becoming dislodged. As above described, thereels are placed on a mandrel for the purpose of winding the line inposition thereon and the container is applied to each reel after theassembly is completely wound in like manner.

It is in this case. in the foregoing, found necessary in order toprovide a complete selfcontained combination to add an element on eachcontainer casin for clamping the end of the line in position thereon andso as to provide a cut-off element similar to the one shown in Fig. 6.Such clamping member is illustrated in Fig. 11. It consists of a stripof resilient metal which is bent to conform to the peripheral outline ofthe container casing and the edges of which are down wardly curved, asindicated at 3| and 32, to ride over the edges of the casing. Thematerial of the member is shown inwardly extending from the rounded edge32 to form a lip 33 which takes a position within the inner surface ofthe flange 22, thereby to maintain the member firmly in positionthereon. The cut-off element 3 5 of this member may remain as abovedescribed in connection with the clamping member 19. The member 2| issimilarly perforated to provide an enlarged opening through which thefingers of the person holding the container may be inserted to applyrotation to the reel within the container. it is to be understood thatthe casing, at the point where the member 39 is to be seated, should berecessed to form a seat for the member. When so recessed, it will befound that the surface of the clamping member may extend in con tinuedalignment with the outer and inner surfaces of the casing.

In cases where reels are not encased, but single reels are furnished theuser, it becomes necessary to provide cut-off attachments for suchreels. Illustrative thereof, I have in Figs. 12 and 13 shown a reel 43fitted with a detachable resilient clip 4%, the outer surface of whichis shown circumferentially extended to form a lip 42, the front edge ofwhich is serrated or otherwise sharpened to provide a surface on whichthe free end of the material on the reel may be cut oif. In order toeliminate all danger of injuring the fingers handling the reel it isadvisable to bend this lip inwardly a distance so as to bring thecutting edge thereof well within the periphery of the reel. Side walls43, 44 extending inwardly from the outer surface of the reel terminatein lips 45, 35 which engage the underside of the flange 41 of the reelto maintain the clip firmly in position thereon.

Some reels are made with curled outer edges, substantially as indicatedat 50, 5| in Fig. 14. In such cases it may be found more convenient toemploy a clip 53, the side walls 54, 55 of which are folded inwardly toprovide lips 56, 51 which extend nearly to outer plate of the clip. Whenthe latter is made from resilient material, it is found that this typeof clip may be pushed over the edges of the reel and that the lips 56,51 will slip under the curled edges 50, 5| securely to lock the clip inposition.

I claim:

1. An annular casing of a size rotatably to support a leader reeltherein, the casing being diametrically divided into two identicallyshaped parts, one part having a cylindrical flange extending therefromfor insertion into the other part tightly to fit the parts of the casingtogether, and a leader clamping element shaped to fit the outerperiphery of the casing, the two parts of the casing having guidesrising from the peripheral surfaces thereof for mutual axial alignment,the clamping element being insertable within said guides when the partsof the casing are pushed together to lock the parts against relativerotation.

2. An annular casing of a size rotatably to support a leader reeltherein, the casing being diametrically divided into two identicallyshaped parts, one part having a cylindrical flange extending therefromfor insertion into the other part tightly to fit the parts of the casingtogether, and a leader clamping element shaped to fitthe outer peripheryof the casing, the two parts of the casing having identical U-shapedguides rising from the peripheral surfaces thereof for mutual axialalignment and a passage therethrough for the leader therein, theclamping element being insertable within said guides when the parts ofthe casing are pushed together to lock the two parts against relativerotation.

3. An annular cylindrical two part casing of a size removably to supporta leader reel for manual rotation therein, the two parts havingidentical U-shaped grooves in their outer cylindrical walls for mutualregistration when the two parts are assembled, and a leader clampingelement in said grooves to lock the two parts of the casing againstrelative rotation, said element having a lip extruded from and slightlyrising from the surface of the element in parallel relation thereto, thelip having sharpened side edges.

EWING L. SHARP.

References Cited in the file Of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 595,059 Graham Dec. 7, 1897 1,037,465 Frissell Sept. 3, 19122,201,305 Springer May 21, 1940 2,284,807 Donahoo et a1 June 2, 19422,340,184 Gray Jan. 25, 1944 2,401,286 Wright May 28, 1946 2,528,958Johnson Nov. 7, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 324,234 GreatBritain Jan. 23, 1930

